United Slates Solid Waste and
EnwonmentalProtection Enwnjency Response EPA/530-SW-90-015
' U&-J05 March 1990
Environmental
Fact Sheet
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to amend regulations
governing incinerators burning hazardous waste. This proposal is designed to reduce
and control toxic pollutants like metals and organic emissions, and to ensure uniform
regulation of all devices burning hazardous waste for any reason. The rule also
broadens the definition of industrial furnace to include nonflame combustion devices
and clanies or revises the regulatory status of carbon regeneration units, sludge '
dryers, plasma arc, and infrared incinerators.
BACKGROUND
Hazardous waste can be burned in incinerators, boilers, and industrial
furnaces for specific, but different purposes. Incinerators use
controlled flame combustion to treat or destroy hazardous waste, and
have been regulated under RCRA, Subpart O since January 23 1981
While Subpart O contains specific permitting and operating
requirements for incinerators, EPA has decided these standards need
to be upgraded for various reasons.
EPA is proposing to strengthen existing regulations for hazardous
waste incinerators in response to the growing problem of, and public
concern about, toxic emissions from these devices. These stricter
standards will ensure that incinerators do not pose unacceptable
health risks As land disposal decreases, the proposed amendments
will ensure that wastes diverted to incinerators will be burned safely.
ACTION
The Agency is requesting comment on the proposed amendment to the
incinerator regulations. This action, along with the separate proposed
rules for boilers and industrial furnaces, will establish regulatory
controls to ensure that potentially harmful contaminants are not
released to the environment when hazardous waste is burned for anv
reason. J
-------
controls on emissions of toxic
OT,S3
plemented on a site-specific basis. The Agency proposed
^
the omnibus" authority of RCRA. That provision aUowf
add permit conditions as necessary to protect human te
to
an health and the
awarded
eluded these con'u^ls: " "* ^^^ ** ^^ Incinerators In-
The amendments also:
o Revise the definition of industrial furnace to refer to thermal
treatment rather than controlled flame combustion. Thus r
name devices like electric arc smelting furnaces processing
hazardous waste are regulated as industrial furnaces
o Revise and clarify several permitting procedures:
(1) All hazardous waste combustion devices at a site must be
Hoefii ^ *Y Pemiit writers when implementing the health-
based controls on metals and hydrogen chloride emissions
(2) Permit writers have the discretion to allow nontoxic surro-
gate compounds to be used as POHCs for purposes of
demonstrating compliance with the destruction anrl rpm™,ai
standard. ucsuucuon ana removal
(3) 2S3lS°i h ^T^ emergency relief valves must be in-
cluded in the Part B application.
CONCLUSION
controls to
waste, and respond to slcnificant
from ^^^ s°
, wastes diverted to incinerators will be burned safely.
-------
In conjunction with the Agency's proposal to regulate hazardous
waste burned in boilers and furnaces, these regulations will make all
devices burning hazardous waste for any reason subject to identical
emission controls. Currently, this rule affects approximately 250
facilities: about 50 new permits and around 200 permit renewals.
CONTACT
For additional information or to order a copy of the Federal Register
notice, contact the RCRA Hotline, Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m.
to 7:30 p.m., EST. The national, toll-free number is (800) 424-9346-
TDD (800) 553-7672 (hearing impaired). In Washington D C the
number is (202) 382-3000; TDD (202) 475-9652.
-------
------- |